Ammonia-condenser.



VC.W.VOLLMANN.

AMMNM CONDENSER. APPLICATION FIL ED APR. 12. 19;

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

CAR'L WILHELM VOLLMANN, or MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

AMMONIA-CONDENSER.

T0 aZZ 'w7wm z't my concern:

Be it known that I, CARL W. VOLLMA1IN,

. of the city of Montreal, Province of Quebec,

Dominioneof Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ammonia- Condensers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to ammonia condensers of the type comprising a condenser elemerit having a closed circuitto Which the ammoniagas is admitted and from which the surplus liquid ammoniais Withdrawn. In condensing systems-of this type an upward flow of the ammonia gas admitted to the lower portion thereof is caused by the condensation of the gas in the upper portion thereof which tends to create a vacuum and thereby causes a rapidity of the upward fiow proportionate to the speed of condensation. It has been proposed to accelerate this fiow by increasing the speed or pressure of the gas at the point at Winch it enters the condenser, this beirig efi'cted by introducing the gas through a nozzle of relatively small bore. In mycPatent No.

1,193,208 I discloSe me'ansf0r comminuting the gas in a mixing chamber included in the circuit, the globules of gas being distributed through a portion of thebody of liquefied ammonia in the chamber and tending to rise rapidly owing to its buoyancy WhiCh causes an acceleration of the fiow the convergence of the upper portion of the ch amber causing an intimate admixture of the molecules of gas and liquid. T he idea being in all condensers of this type to thoroughly mix the gas and liquid lfore-they reach the top of the condenser where it was immediately subjected to the cooling or condensing medium When the latter was at its coldest degree. I have discovered, however, that although the mixing of the gas andliquid is intimately efected before it reaches the top of the condenser the.gas is not condensed and absorbed before the liquefied portion of the mixture begins to descend in the condenser, but as the mixture travels along the top pipe the gaseous portion not absorbed by the liquid separates therefroin and accumulates along the top of thepipe thus reducing the efiiciency'of the condenser. The object of my present invention is to obviate the separation of the gaseous' and liquefied portions ofthe mixture and to maintain the intiinate relation of thse ele Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 12, 1917. Serial No. 161,457.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

nients until the gas is entirely absorbed and condensed by the liquid. T0 this end the invention may be said broadly to consist m permeating With ammonia gas the liquid ammon ia flowing in the closed circuit, then sub1ectm the mixture to a zone of maximum coo ing properties and having a drop m intensity of cold from the top to the bottom, the mixture being caused to traverse this zone from the mildest to the coldest portion 'thereof, thus obtaining complete condensation and liquefaction, the resultant liquid being thon run through a chilling zone. A feature of the system in which this 'method is performed consists of a coil divided into condensing and chilling parts, the mixture being taken to the bottom of the condensing part and the liquid flowing from it'to the top of the chilling portion;

While in order to obtain maximum efiiciency 7 7 the mixer is specially designed to obtain a more intimate admixture of the gas' and liquid in the mixing chamber and at the same time maintain the gas globules in a mixing sphere directly beneath the outlet from the chamber to the communicating pipe leading to the bottom of the condensing portion of the system, the essential efiect obtained from this mixer being to utilize the dual advantage of the buoyanc'y of the 'gas globules and the suction caused by the condensation in theportion of the system Where I concentrate the liquefaction.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar ref erence characters indicate the same parts,

* and wherein Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a system arranged according to my invention with the section in which the mixture is confined until liquefied, above the chilling section into which the liquid runs;

. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 representing a sectional view taken on line 22 Fig. 1; r

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar to Figs. 1 .and 2 and illustrate my improved system W1th the liquefying and cooling sections arranged m parallel;

Fig. 5 is a dtail sectionalview of the mixer; V

Fig. 6,is a vertical SectiOnal view lino 66 Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken taken on l/Vith the system, either as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2' 0r 3 and 4, the gas is made to enter through the mixer illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

This mixer is specially clesigned t0 co- Operate with the balance of the system to locate the gas globules immediately beneath the outlet of the mixture. The casing of this mixture, indicated at 6, has a gas inlet c, a liquid ammonia inlet d, an outlet 6 at the top for the mixture of the gaseous and liquid ammonia and an outlet 7' in its bot tdm for the surplus liquid ammonia. The interior of this casing is divided by a substantially horizontal partition g betWeen the gas and liquid inlets and having a por tion 9 thereof ,adjoining the opposite side of the casing, which extends beyond the ammonia liquid outlet f, arranged obliqnely to this outlet and provided with a seriesof small-bore holes 73, the center one of Which is in direct line with the center of the lower end of the outlet 6, the other holes sur rouhding this central one and.being directed toward the fiared inner end of the,bore of this outlet as indicated by dotted arrows in Fig. 5. The object is to confine this fl0W ot comminnted gas to thedirection of the outlet e, distributing the gaseous globules that, owing .to their buoyancy, will lift the liquid they permeate direct to the outlet, tneconvergence of which brings the globules of liquid and gas into intimate contact Which is augmented by the rglling action of the mixture therethrongh. The mixer is' thus 'divided into gas supplying and mixing climbers z,ahd j, respectively, the former et which forms the base of the casingwnile the permeation of the liquid is brought about in chamber 3'.

In each embodiment of the system the gas supplying pipe is indicated at 2, the liquid si1pplgmng p.1peat 3, the liquefying section or coil at 4.ai1d the cooling section or coil at 5. These coils are of the type presenting horizontal zig-zag pipes in vertical arrangement.

According to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. land 2, the liquefying coil is located above the cooling C Oil and a mixture-condi1cting pipe 6 connects the outlet 6 of the mixing chamber to the bottom pipe of the liquefying eoil while a liquid-coi1ducting pipe 7 connecte the top pipe of the liqnefying coil to the top pipe of the coolingcoil the bottom pipe of which latter is connected to (the liquid inlet of the mixer, thus completing the clo sed circuit. The gas pipe 8 lead ing frOm the refrigerating system, or other plant wh ich maybe.served, is connected to the Lgas inlet c"and the pipe 9 through which the ,liquid ammonia may .be drawn from my "sstem is 'cmnected to the gliquid ammonia -pa let f -o mi In the ezrbodirrnc oi nnr ,s ystan as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the condensing and coolingsectiom are located beside and parallel to one another and the top pipes Ol each are connected to one another, and at one end by a pipe 12 and the bottom pipe et section 4 is connected by a pipe 13 to the outlet 6 of the mixer, while the bottom pipe of section 5 is connected to the inlet (Z, the gas conducting pipe 2 being connected to inlet c and the liquid drain pipe 9 to the liquid outlet 7 of the mixer as in the above described embodiment;

The method of liquefying ammonia gas is carried on in my system, whether a1- ,ranged as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or. 3 and 4, by the ammonia gas entering the base 1' of the mixer and owing to the combined forces of the usual pressure in the refrigerating system the buoyancy of the gas and the suction in the liquetying section of the condensmg and cooling apparatus the gas fiows rap1dly through theholes /L and owing to the particular arrangement of the partition 9 1t 1s dnected in a comm1nuted state into the portion of the mixing chamber j contiguous to the upper sufiace.of the per forated portion of the partition. This con stantly replenished comminuted body of gas permeates the liquid ammonia with Which the mixing chamber is flooded and rises rapidly to the outlet e, its lifting power accelerating the movement of the liquid. As the"mixture enters the fiared lower end of the outlet 6, the particles of gas and liquid are crowded and in this intimate relation fiow upwardly to the bottom of the 'liqaefying section 4 the horizontal 'lengths and .upward curves of the coil of hich it traverses, to the top pipe w hence it flOWS through the connectingpipe (pipe 7, 'Figs. 1 and 2 and pipe -12, Figs. 3 and 4) to the top pipe of the cooling section of the chili- -ing coil down which it fiows and enters the mixing chamber j. The liquid ammonia for use in the refrigerating or Other system served is conducted to the .usual receivei, (net shown) through a pipe 25 controlled by a valve26 while the pipe 9 is controlled by a valve 790, and may be used either'to drain the system or fill the system with liquid ammonia.

'The usual method of picking np the heat units from the ammonia by waterflowing over the coils is employed by me for my sysshowninFigs. 3 and 4 and a separate;flow

of water used foreach cil.

effect of causing the mixture exis'ting dur1ng'the first part of the meth0d i idtHe ular closed circuit is that owirigto the fact of the gas and liquid particles being kept in ersing the liquefying section from the bottom to the top therof results in a complete,

absorption and liquefaction et the gas before it reaches the pipeconnecting this sec tion to section 5. It is pure ammonia liquor, consequently, which flows to the top of coil 5 and during the periodof its flovv through this section to the mixer its temperature is reduced t0 approximately that of the water flowing over this coil.

Under normal working conditions gas enters the base of the mixer at practically the same pressure as exists in the condensing and cooling members of the apparatus. Notwithstanding this substantial equality of pressure the force above mentioned existing within the apparatus causes the portions of the liquid ammonia permeated with gas, to rush with considerable velocity to the condensing or liquefying member 4: and through it to the top, its velocity being shaded down as liquefaction becomes effected, which result is obtained, as before explained, before the liquid leaves this cohdensing member; this result being due to the fact that the mixture fiows upWardly against the stream of water and consequently penetrates deeper into the chilling influence as it fioWs to the top. The fiow from the top of this member to the chilling coil 5 and through it to the mixing chamber is entirely by gravity.

Although in the description of the spe cific embodiments of my invention I have referred to vertical coils' made up of zig-mg horizontal pipes I do not limit myself to this form of coil as the pipes may in the main be vertical or otherwise arranged pmvided the dual system of liquetying and chilling by utilizing the natural heat absorbing propertics of the cooling agent more particularly described above, are, employed, without departing from the spirit of my invention. The cooling agent may be othermse employed than as a stream falhng over the coils. This agent may be'conducted through pipes inclosing the pipes of the coil orotherwise caused to absorb the heat of the ammonia, within the spirit of my invention.

What I daim is as follows:

1. In an ammonia liquefying and chilling apparatus the combination with a coil having a closed circuit diV1ded 1nto liquefying and chilling members the opposite ends of the circuit being coupled to a mixer with 7 arrangement hav1ng one end of the circuit 'leading from the mixer to the bottom of the liquefying member, the other end leading irom the bottom of the chilhng member t0 the mixer, and the top of the liquefying member being connected to the top of the chilling member. 2. In an ammonia liquefying and chillmg 'apparatus the combination with a coil having a closed circuit divided into liquefing and chillihg inembers located one above the other, the opposite ends of the circuit being coupled to a mixer with arrangement htving one end of the circuit leading from' the mixer to the bottom of the liquefying member, the other endlea'dingtrom the bottom of the chilling member to the mixer, and

the top of the liquefying member being con nected to the top of the chilling member.

3. In an ammonia liquefying and condensing apparatus the combination with a coil having a closed circuit divided into liquefying and chilling members located in parallel, the opposite ends of the circuit being coupled to a mixer with arrangement having one end of the circuit leading from the mixer to the bottom of the liquefying member, the other end leading from the bottom of the chilling member to the mixer, and the top of the liquefying member being connected to the top of the chilling member.

4. In'an ammonia liquefying and chilling apparatus the combination with a coil for receiving gas permeated liquid ammonia and returning ammonia-liquid, of a mixer for permeating ammonia-liquid With ammonia-gas consisting of a c asing having an inlet for liquid-ammonia and an inlet for ammonia-gas; a partition dividing the casing between the inletS and into a gas receiving chamber and a mixing chamber, the latter having an outlet and the partition having aseries oi perforations in the general 11116C1GI1 of the outlet.

ammonia-gas; a partition dividing the cas ing between the inlets and into a gas receiving chamber and a mixing chamber the latter having an outlet and the partition having a series of perforations in the general direction of the outlet and the said casing having a drain for the liquidammonia. V

v 6. In an ammonia liquefying and chilling apparatus the combination wxt h a coil for receiving gas-pmeated l1qu1dammon1a and returning ammonia-liquid, of a mixer for permeating .ammonia-liquid wit h ammonia-gas consisting of a casing hav1ng an inlet for liquid-amnionia and an ii1let for ammonia-gas; a partition dividing the casing between the inlets and into a gas rece1v- ;ing chamb&rr and a mixing chamber, -the latter having ian outlet and thepartition having a series of perforations in the general direction =of che outlet; and the said casingzhaving a drain for .the 1iquid-am ;monia, the partition,having a portion there- .O ,beneath the mixture outletinc1ined to present its,lower facein 21 direction to inter- .sect the,naturaldirection offiow of the gas .beneathit,anditsmpper facc;in a direction :to tendthecomminuted ;gas flowing chercthrough to:the direction of the mixing outlet.

Intestimony Whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence 15 ;Cpies of thlspatent may,beobtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of-1 atents,

Washlngton, D. c. 

